Melanoma skin cancer can be fatal unless caught early, but most skin lesions are harmless. Dermoscopy with training can help with diagnosis. This blog is not a substitute for a medical opinion-if you are worried about a changing or funny looking mole or spot, get it checked by a doctor with suitable skills.

Blogging from Dublin airport

Just passing some time during that seemingly semi-eternal vacuum when you are on the way from A to C and you inevitably spend some time in B, location B in this case being Dublin airport. I agreed some months ago to travel to the annual education meeting of the Primary Care Dermatology Society of Ireland (PCDSI) to teach on dermoscopy. The fee I’ve been promised is about the same as was agreed for a very similar presentation I gave to a group of GPs in Basingstoke, only in that case I drove an hour each way: to get to Galway via Dublin from the south coast of England is 8 hours each including hanging around time.

Anyhow, been using my netbook to do some more work on the new course which is planned for the Holiday Inn Fareham on 24th June and 14th October 2 Friday afternoons with guided course work in between times. Publicity should be going out very soon.

Boarding in about 40 minutes-flight, taxi, and another hotel room. I’ll have spent 16 hours travelling and 2 full days and nights away from home to deliver a 2 hour presentation. Lets hope at least one person gets the dermoscopy bug as I did 9 years ago and learns enough to become able to teach others. There are easier ways to earn money, but I want to do this as I’ve seem how effective dermoscopy can be in reducing needless skin operations and scars, and picking up cancers earlier.